Detachable wheel



Mar. 3, 1925.

f H. A. HOUSE, JR

DETACHABLE WHEEL Original Filed Feb. 10. 1916' 2 sheets-sheet 2- HENRY A. HUSE JR. BY mAH/@M H15 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES HENRY Housn, in., or BUFFALO,

PATENT OFFICE.

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO vWIRE WHEEL COR- PORATION 0F AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF 'NEW YORK.

DETACHABLE WHEEL.

Original I application led To al?, wtom'it may concern.: Y

Be it known that I, /HENRY A. House, Junior, a citizen ofthe United States, and resident ot Buffalo, Erie County, State of New York,haveinvented'certain new and useful Improvements in'Detachable Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

This application isa division kot" my application Serial No.' 77441` filed February l0, 191,6,` matured as PatentNo. 1,363,598 on December 28, 1920.

This invention relates to detachable wheels andiparticularlyto that class thereof which Ihave hubs composed of .inner hubs and outer 'hub shells.`

The inner hub' of this class ot wheel, whether the wheel bea driving or driven wheel is designed to yremain engaged with its axle or shaft and'isheldagainst longitudinal displacement thereon, while the outer hub shell is' removably attached to and co-lits with the inner hub.

Figure -l is a sectionalelevation of a hub of a detachable wire Wheel embodying my inventionalso showing fragments of spokes and rims attached.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of hub shown in Fig. l, but showing here, the holding nut partly unscrewed, allowing the outer hub shell to be withdrawn during the threaded engagement of the holding` nut with the inner hub.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the nut stopping device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and used to limit the outward travel of the holding nut, to prevent its being taken offf Figure 4 is aside elevation of the special form of holding nut shown in section in Figs. l and 2, being broken away to show its internal construction andthe relative positioning of the nutlocking device.

Figure 5 is a fragmental large end elevation of the nut shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective View ot the bolt of the said nut locking device, showing a fragment ota` spring coil attached.

Figure 7 is a side elevation ot the special wrench adapted to lit the nut and name plate shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure l8 is a `side elevation Vof half an expansible segmental ring.

Figure v9 is a perspective View of a single segment of Isaid ring, shown in Figs. l and 8, also showing/2a split spring coil attached.

'Feblual'y I, 1916, Serial No. 77,441. 28 1920. Divided and this application filed September 15, 1913.

Patent No. 1,363.598, dated December Serial'No. 323,955.

the inner hub journaled wheel, by The nut 8 Near the center of the inner hub 4 is shown hub f fitted close to, and is f an annular projection 11S, and within the hub shell 3, is shown an annularv projection 10S, between the flange l0 and the projection 11S. The flange lO and the projection 1l constitute one set of hub shell arresting means, and annular projections 10s and 11S constitute another set ot hub shell arresting means; the relative diameters of the said projections, in each of the said sets being such as to permit of said projections passing one another when in concentric position, and to come in shouldered engagement with one another, when the hub shell 3 is moved longitudinally and eccentrically from its cotitting position with the inner hub 4. The projections 10S and 11S are so spaced longitudinally, as to come into shouldered engagement after a failure of the ilange lO to engage or remain engaged with the projection ll, during an oit-movement of the hub shell 3 from the inner hub 4. Positioned close to the projection ll, within the hub shell 3 and on the inner hub 4 is shown formed another and broader annular proj ection marked l2, having upon its periphery, a conically formed set of regularly spaced corrugations 12a, concentrically positioned with respect to the aXis of the inner hub 4, and converging toward a common point on the airis of the inner hub 4. A correspondingly Jformed corrugated recess 13 with corrugations 13 co-lits with the corrugated surface ot the annular projection l2, and interlocked with the said projection l2 -forms an antiturning means preventing the rotation of the hub shell 3 upon the inner hub 4 and at the same time acts to center the said hub shell 3 upon the said inner hub 4 at their large ends, besides performing the Jfunction of an opposing tapered' surface co-acting, longitudinally,'with another member having a complemental tapered surface in the small end of the co-itting hub parts. r Through the intermeshed corrugations ci the projection 12 and the recess 13 is transmitted the driving or rotating force g in the case of the rear wheels the inner hubs drive the wheels, while in the case of the front wheels the reverse is true and the wheels rotate the inner hubs. IVithin the small end of the hub shell 3 is a-eonical surface 14, shown engaging wedge shaped segments of a segmental clamping ring 15, engaged between the annular projections 16 and 1T, et' the holding nut 18, by the hook ends a. A peripheral spiral spring 19, in tension, occupies an annular groove 2O on the segments of the ring 15. The said segmental ring 15 is shown also in bearing contact with the small outwardlj7 converging conical end 21, of the inner hub 4. Positioned for reciprocal movement radially within the nut 18 is the bolt 22, in slotted engagement at its inner end with a rivet A3, and it has its outer end 24, protruding beyond the threads of the nut 18, and engaging one of a series of notches 25, in the small end on the inner hub 4. Integral with the bolt 22 and extending longitudinallwv outward through a slot 27 in the wall 28 of the nut 18, is the arm 29, having its outer end beveled, for depressing engagement with a wrench litted into a polygonal recess 30 of the nut 18, the bolt 22 being spring-pressed outwardly by a spring coil 31, to engage a notch 26, but released therefrom, when a. suitable wrench depresses the arm 29. A name plate cap 32, threaded with the central post 33 is provided with two notches 34, 34 adapted to receive a Spanner wrench. To limit the outward movement of the nut 18, I provide an inturned flange 35 on the inner end ot the nut 18, adapted to engage a hook 3G, having' a base 3'? screwed to the inner hub 4 by screws 38.

In Figure 2, the nut 18 is shown partiallt7 unscrewed from the inner hub 4, and in such a position as to cause the inturned flange 35 to engage the hook 36. The segmental ring 15, in hooked engagement with the annular projection 1G, is shown contracted, by the spring 19 and near the cX- treme end of the conical part 21, ot' the inner hub 4, it contacts the inner hub 4. rhe ring 15, is shown to be contracted b v the spring 19 to come within the lines F-F, which lines are parallel and drawn tangent to the inner surface of the smallest part. of the neck of the outer hub shell 3. The contracted outside diameter of the ring 15, being thus less than that or the inside of the smallest part of the neck of the outer hub shell 3, permits the free taking` off of the said hub shell 3, during the threaded engagement of the nut 18 with the inner hub 4.

In Figure .3, .the hook 36 extends from the curved base 3T which is provided with threaded holes 38a adapted to engage screws 38, shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figure 4, the holding nut 18 is broken away to show the inturned flange 35 and the installation ot the bolt 22, within the nut 18.

In Figure 5, is shown the bolt and the spring coil 31 adapted to force the belt 22 outward, so that its end 24 projects bevond the threads '1`he lower end oiIl the coil 31 is in pressing contact with the inner curved wall of the nut 18.

In Figure 6, the connection ot' the spring coil 31 with the holt 22 is clearly shown. The slot 23fl is adapted for sliding engagement with the rivet 23, shown in Figs. 1, 2:, and 5.

In Figure T, is shown the wrench adapted for use with the nut and its cap 32. 42 is a fragment of the handle, is a disk, integral with the handle. Upon the disk 43 is a hexagonal boss 44, having a circular recess 45 with a beveled edge 46. rEhe boss 44 1s adapted to enter the recess 30 in the nut 18. For taking off cap 32, pins 4T and 48, projecting irom the disk 43, form therewith a Spanner wrench 1er engagement. with notches 34 in the cap 32, shown in Fig. t.

In Figure 7, a fragment of the nut 18 is shown dotted. to represent the relative position ot the boss 44, with reference to the nut and its locking` means, when the wrench is fitted into 'the recess 30 of the nut 18. The arm 29, with the bolt 22, shows the depressed position taken by the bolt 22 and its arm 29, when the arm 29 engages the wall ot the circular recess 45, of the wrench. The beveled edge 46 assists in depressing the, arm 29, as it enters the recess 45. The end 245L of the bolt 22 is here shown lepre-'sed below the threads 25, allowing the tree turning ot the nut 18 by the wrench.

In Figure 8, the side elevation ot' halt the ring 15, clearly shows the internal construction of the segments assembled in expanded position and surrounded b v a spiral spring 19.

In Figure 9, a split spring coil 19n is shown as a substitute tor the spiral. spring` 19, and occupies the groove 20 in the segment 15C. This coil 19a is made ol such ai normal diameter, that when occupying the recess 20, ot the ring 15. it will norma l v tend to hold the segment spring pressed, when open or closed, together.

In use, referring to Fig. 1, the inner huh 4 is irst journaled on the axle 5 with the ball bearings G and 7 and is xed longitudinally thereon by means o1 the nut 8. The outer hub shell is built attached to the rim by means oit the spokes 2, so that the rim and the spokes 2 go on or oil with the outer hub shell 3. As tar as the detachable feature of the wheel ,is concerned, the inner hub 4 is allowed to remainpon the axle k5 after slipping the wheel oit. ritter journaling and lixingl the inner hub 4,v longitudinally, upon the axle 5, the rest of the wheel is positioned by slipping the outer hub shell 3 into cQ-itting position, with the inner hub 4, the outside diameter' of the annular projection 11, being a trilie smaller than the inner diameter oi the flange 10, the said projection 11 is adapted to passsaidy tlange 10. The corrugations ot the conical corrugated surfaces ot the respective annular projection 12 and the annular recess 1,3 become intermeshed and at the same time center the large endet 'the outer hub shell 3 with that of the inner hub 4.

The nut 18, bearing the segmental ring 15, is next threaded with the inner hub 4. Before mounting` the nut 18 the screws 38 by which hook 36 is held in place to engage the iiange 35 are loosened so that the flange passes inside the hook. The screws are then tightened so that the hook will act to limit the outward movement of the nut. A wrench is next positioned having its boss 44 within the recess 30 of the nut 18, as shown in Fig-l ure 7 During this engagement the arm 29 and the bolt 22, are depressed, so that the end 24 of the bolt is below the threads 25. As the wrench is turned to screw on the nut, the beveled end of the segments ot the ring 15 engage the conical end 21 of the inner hub 4 and sliding thereon, expand and move longitudinally inward until the ring 15 comes into engagement with the conical surface 14 of the outer hub shell 3. A further movement or the nut 18 inward causes a drawing together of the hub parts 3 and 4. Upon withdrawing the wrench, the end 24 of the bolt 22, is tree, to engage one of the notches, 26, being normally actuated outward by the spring 31. The bolt 22 will engage one of the notches 26 at the instant of registration therewith and remain in this locked position, until the wrench is again applied to engage the nut 18. The cap 32 is next screwed upon the post 33, by means of a Spanner wrench, having two pins adapted to engage the notches 34, 34. The operation ofthe wrench in depressing the outer end ot the bolt out o'l eng'agement with any of the notches 26, is described in connection with Fig. 7.

The torni ot' construction illustrated and described herein, may be modified and not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be confined to the exact structure illustrated and described above.

I claim,

1. In a wheel, a hub including an inner hub member and an outer hub member, said inner hub member having an outwardly convergingconical end on its outer surface, the outer hub member having an outwardly diverging conical interior surface, contiguous to theconical end of said inner hub member in the normal assembled position of said hub members, spacing means adapted*r to tit between the said conical surfaces of said hub members, said spacing means being adapted for sliding engagement with the conical end of said inner hub member, means engaging said inner hub member vand operatingto ,force said spacing means to slide on the conical end ot inner hub member, causing said spacing' means to move radially into engagement with the outer hub member thereby fixing said members relative to-` one another, means for moving said spacing means toward the axes of the hub members, when released by the engaging means, said spacing means, when in released position, permitting the outer hub member to pass oi from the inner hub member.

2. In a wheel, a hub including an inner hub member, having an outwardly converging conical end, on its outer surface, and a threaded recess in the end thereof, an outer hub member, co-acting, inter-engaged elements for relatively positioning said inner and outer hub members at the inner end of the hub, a threaded nut engaging said threaded recess in said inner hub member, a split ring mounted on said threaded nut and movable longitudinally of the inn ner hub member, said split ring being adapted ior sliding engagement with the conical surface at the outer end of the inner hub member, said outer hub member having an outwardly diverging conical interior sur- -face, adapted to be engaged by said split ring, whereby the split ring, wedging between the conical surfaces on the inner end and outer hub members, mutually positions the outer ends of the hub members and holds in engagement the co-acting members, at the inner hub end ot the hub, means for limiting the out-ward movement of the threaded nut in said recess, means for retracting the sections on the split ring as the nut is moved. toward its outer limit, said split ring, when in released position, permitting the outer hub member to pass oit from the inner hub member. l 3. In a detachable wheel the Combination of an inner hub part, an outer hub part held against relative rotation thereon, and means carried by and having threaded engagements with one of said parts for Jforcing said iso hub parts into operative relation, said means including elements which are forced by the means carrying part into contact with the other part when such means are tightened and which are withdrawn from such contact when the means are loosened thus permitting the removal of the outer hub part without necessitating the removal ot said means.

4. In a detachable wheel the combination of an inner hub, an outer hub shell held 13e against relative rotation thereon, and means in threaded engagement with said inner hnb for holding the hub shell in position, said lneans including elements which are forced by the end of the inner hub into engagement With the hub shell when said means is tightened and which are contracted when the means are loosened, thus permitting removal of the hub shell Without necessitating removal of said means.

5. In a detachable wheel, the combination of an inner hub member, an onter hnb shell, said member and shell having tapered ooacting surfaces at the inner endsthereoit` and oppositely inclined tapered surfaces at the HENRY A. HOUSE, Jn. 

